Branson Packard: Science Fair

Question How does launch angle and velocity affect the distance a baseball travels?

Hypothesis That the baseball will travel the farthest when the launch angle is or near 45 degrees, at the fastest velocity ( the faster the velocity the further it will travel), and the temperature is warm. The temperature being warm matters because the warmer the air is the more the air expands which causes less density.

Materials Zooka pitching machine, radar gun, baseballs, notebook, measuring tape, and pens and pencils.

Procedure I went out to a Little League field with the materials listed above.   I measured the point of impact rather than the distance the ball traveled after it rolled. I also measured the temperature which was 68 degrees Fahrenheit.  The temperature matters because the warmer it is, the more the air expands causing the air to be less dense and lets the baseball travel further.  I measured it so that we could replicate the experiment  I set up the Zooka pitching machine  at a 15 degree angle, 30 degree angle, 45 degree angle, and a 60 degree angle. I then got the baseballs ready, and did seven different trials at each angle except one involving different velocities. I did eight trials at a 45 degree angle as this was deemed the optimal path and I want to see how far a potential home run would travel if hit at this angle.  After each baseball landed it was marked, so later it could be measured and recorded.  I tried to measure to the center of impact point.  I also started launching the baseballs from less distance to greater distance, so that I could mark them in a line.  At 70 miles per hour,  I adjusted the angle until I figured out the optima angle.   It appears to be around 40 degrees where the ball travels 212 feet.   It took around two hours. 

Observations At the fastest velocity, the ball traveled the farthest at each angle.  Also, at a 45 degree angle the ball did travel further than at the other angles. This proved my hypothesis to be true. At a higher trajectory the ball would travel more vertically than horizontally which would mean it is traveling a less horizontal distance. At a lower trajectory it would not spend enough time in the air to travel as far as the effects of gravity pull the ball to the earth. This is why at or near a 45 degree angle is the best launch angle for a baseball if you want it to travel far.  A baseball at 45 degrees and 70 mph is a home run on the average little league field. 

Observation Tables Velocity(MPH), Angle (degrees), Distance Traveled (feet). For a 15 degree launch angle: 33                                  15                                  40 37                                  15                                  50 45                                  15                                  60 49                                  15                                  69 54                                  15                                 78 60                                  15                                  84 64                                  15                                  88

Observation Tables Velocity(MPH), Angle (degrees), Distance Traveled (feet). For a 30 degree angle: 32                                  30                                 53 37                                  30                                 67 45                                  30                                103 51                                  30                                116 55                                  30                                121 59                                  30                                129 60                                  30                                136 70                                  30                                150

Observation tables Velocity(MPH), Angle (degrees), Distance Traveled (feet). For a 45 degree angle: 34                                  45                                  66 39                                  45                                  72 43                                  45                                  82 47                                  45                                  90 54                                  45                                  110 57                                  45                                  120 63                                  45                                  150 70                                  45                                  205

Observation Tables Velocity(MPH), Angle (degrees), Distance Traveled (feet). For a 60 degree angle: 37                                  60                                 62 40                                  60                                 68 47                                  60                                 84 54                                  60                                105 56                                  60                                115 65                                  60                                145 71                                  60                                180

Conclusion I have concluded that the best launch angle is between 40-45 degrees, so it will have enough horizontal traveling time. The velocity is just a factor of how far it will go at this angle, but the faster the velocity, the further it will go. This experiment was fun, and interesting.

Thankings I want to thank my dad for helping me with the equipment. I want to thank my mom for getting the materials. I also want to thank Mclean Little league for letting me use one of their fields.